Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

न तत्र ब्राह्मणाचाराः श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः । जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः परस्त्री विषयातुराः

Transliteration

na tatra brāhmaṇācārāḥ śrutismṛtiparāṅmukhāḥ | japasvādhyāyarahitāḥ parastrī viṣayāturāḥ

Translation

Dort fehlen die Observanzen brahmanischer Lebensführung; sie wenden sich von Śruti und Smṛti ab, sind ohne Japa und Selbststudium und werden von Begierde nach der Frau eines anderen und nach Sinnesobjekten gequält.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपातः (negation particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• ब्राह्मणाचाराः: Brahminical conduct/practices
• ब्राह्मणाचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa-ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः: turned away from Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti-smṛti-parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः: devoid of japa and self-study
• जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: japa-svādhyāya-rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; (जप + स्वाध्याय) इति द्वन्द्वः, तदनन्तरं 'रहित' इति तत्पुरुषार्थः

• परस्त्री: another’s wife
• परस्त्री: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para-strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• विषयातुराः: afflicted by sense-objects (sensual)
• विषयातुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaya-ātura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator of the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bāṣkala-grāma

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Contrasting imagery: neglected Vedic study hall with silent students; figures chasing sense-objects; a lone ascetic or teacher stands as a potential corrective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma declines when scripture-guided discipline (śruti-smṛti, japa, svādhyāya) is abandoned and desire rules conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse critiques behavior within the story’s locale rather than praising a pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa and svādhyāya are highlighted as essential practices whose absence marks spiritual decline.